No fermentation, wtf??

[Brewkowski]

Started to make a peach wine on Sunday with the following ingredients
-10 Cans (29oz) Del Monte Sliced Peaches in Heavy Syrup
-1 Liter Looza Peach Nectar
-4 cans (12oz) Jumex Peach Nectar
-4 lbs. white sugar
-2 lbs. brown sugar
-1/2 cup MaltoDextrin
-2 1/2 tsp Pectic Enzyme
-1 tspn Yeast Nutrient
-1/2 tspn K-metabisulfite
-Juice of 1 Lemon
-1 Tbsn Strong Tea
- 2 Gal of water

pitched my Lalvin 71b-1122 after letting it sit for 24 (to allow the K-meta to work) and after 48 hours, there is absolutely no fermentation happening. No bubbles in blow off tube, no film of anything on top. So last night I pitched a pack of US-05 (not ideal, but it's what I had on hand to see if I just had dead yeast). So it's been over 12 hours and not a single bubble. I'm at work, so I guess it's possible it will start up during the day, but other than that what did I do wrong? Double checked ingredients and I don't see any preservatives in any of the juices, other than asorbic acid. Temp is around 65 or so, SG of must was 1.090 (22 brix).
There has to be some reason for this right?

 

[Yooper]

It might take far longer than 12 hours to show obvious fermentation signs, but I'd take a look at all of the juice containers and make sure there aren't any preservatives in them.

 

[Brewkowski]

It might take far longer than 12 hours to show obvious fermentation signs, but I'd take a look at all of the juice containers and make sure there aren't any preservatives in them.

Hmm, that's a bit of a problem, put 'em out on the curb for recycling on Tuesday, but I've been trying to find them online. Damn curbside recycling, if I had to do it myself they'd be stacked up in my garage for months.

Now I worry that if it does take off, how will US-05 flavor it?

 

[Brewkowski]

Well, guess I angered the fermentation gods, because there is still nothing happening 24 hours after pitching a second yeast. There must have been some preservatives, but there was nothing listed that I could find, no sorbates or potassium anything, they only listed fruit puree, water, corn syrup, sugar.

 

[Brewkowski]

So after some research I think i'll stop by the brew store, and pick up a pack of yeast and try to make a big starter and see if that does anything.

 

[suprchunk]

Did you dump all the peaches in, including syrup? That is mostly corn syrup in there. The peaches have no preservatives, but all that corn syrup is kind of gross. With everything else you added, that makes up a huge amount of sugar. You will definitely need more yeast. And it might not end up tasting as low octane as you hoped. But let us know if it turns out okay.

 

[Yooper]

The biggest problem might be either preservatives in the juice, or the 1/2 tsp of k-meta. 1/2 tsp of k-meta is too much. I don't remember the "dosage" since I rarely use the powdered k-meta, but 1/8 tsp is probably enough for 6 gallons. You could try stirring up the must like crazy to see if you can get more of the k-meta to disipate.

I'm curious- why the malto dextrine? I've never heard of putting that in wine.

 

[Brewkowski]

The biggest problem might be either preservatives in the juice, or the 1/2 tsp of k-meta. 1/2 tsp of k-meta is too much. I don't remember the "dosage" since I rarely use the powdered k-meta, but 1/8 tsp is probably enough for 6 gallons. You could try stirring up the must like crazy to see if you can get more of the k-meta to disipate.

I'm curious- why the malto dextrine? I've never heard of putting that in wine.

That's a good thought about stirring, I'll whip it up pretty good and pitch a good starter. As far as the malto goes, probably just me doing something that didn't need to be done, but some of the people I talked to said peach wine can come out pretty thin, and I thought using canned peaches might be even more so, so that's why I added it. I was originally going to add raisins since that seems to be the best option, but spaced out at the store and forgot, so I was making it and kind of winged it.

 

[Brewkowski]

Also, I'm not real familiar with dry yeasts, and I've read that making a starter is not recommended, so should I just reydrate two packs? Any reason to add some kind of juice (I have apple and grape, pure not preservatives) to help the yeast rev up for the battle against high fructose corn syrup? I knew I should have grabbed the peaches in pear juice, the others were on sale.

 

[Yooper]

Also, I'm not real familiar with dry yeasts, and I've read that making a starter is not recommended, so should I just reydrate two packs? Any reason to add some kind of juice (I have apple and grape, pure not preservatives) to help the yeast rev up for the battle against high fructose corn syrup? I knew I should have grabbed the peaches in pear juice, the others were on sale.

You can easily make a starter with some juice. A weak juice/water mixture will help proof the yeast, then you can add more juice as it gets going. After it's going well with the juice starter, then you can try adding some of your must to the starter. I'd take out some of the must and dilute it with water, and add it a little bit at a time over the course of a day or two, until it's still going quite well with each addition and you can add less water each time. When it's fermenting well, and you're adding straight must, then you can pitch it into your must.

Malto dextrine seems like a very strange addition for wine to me. Let me know how that works out.

 

[Brewkowski]

IT'S ALIVE!!!!!!!

Well, had to work late so I didn't get a chance to stop by the brew store, but when I got home my wife said she heard something gurgling in the other room and wasn't sure what it was. Well it was the sound of those little yeasts that could. So, somewhere between the k-meta and funk of corn syrup they were able to get moving, hopefully they ramp up to a good attenuation.

 

[Brewkowski]

So far, its 10 days and there is still lots of airlock activity, is that normal for wine? I'm used to beer where it pretty much stops bubbling after a few days.

 

[Brewkowski]

Well, so far this is turning out to be ok wine. I ended up with a little less than 4 gal, so put 3 gal in a carboy and the rest in a 1 gal with a few heavy toasted oak chips. No nose really at all, and no taste of peach, it actually tastes like a chardonnay type wine (that's what made me think of oaking it). The oak turned out a little strong and I was thinking about blending the two batches. The oaked portion is crystal clear, but I'm going to put some sparkloid into the 3gal and get it bottled soon, might add a little more acid.
I added Malto Dextrin to give it more body, but it didn't really work. It seems thin with a little mouthfeel in the back. Next time I'll make sure I get raisins.

 

[babalu87]

Are you in prison?

 

[COLObrewer]

Well, so far this is turning out to be ok wine. I ended up with a little less than 4 gal, so put 3 gal in a carboy and the rest in a 1 gal with a few heavy toasted oak chips. No nose really at all, and no taste of peach, it actually tastes like a chardonnay type wine (that's what made me think of oaking it). The oak turned out a little strong and I was thinking about blending the two batches. The oaked portion is crystal clear, but I'm going to put some sparkloid into the 3gal and get it bottled soon, might add a little more acid.
I added Malto Dextrin to give it more body, but it didn't really work. It seems thin with a little mouthfeel in the back. Next time I'll make sure I get raisins.

I have found that fresh peaches with skins on, mushed up, add alot to the body of peach wine. I would probably get some and add them to it in a secondary after fermentation is complete to back sweeten it. Use an addition of potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate to help prevent fermentation from kicking up again. Do not do this if you are in a hurry to drink something though.

Keep on brewing my friends

 

[Brewkowski]

Are you in prison?

Jailhouse Peach Hooch? I couldn't find any decent frozen or fresh peaches at the time, in fall I should be able to get my hands on much better ingredients. I'd read a few recipes that had used canned peaches so I thought I would go for it. It's really not bad, but as with anything better ingredients yield better results.